Circumcision is commonly performed on newborn infants, but may also be performed on young children, adolescents, and sometimes adults. Prior art is discussed in detail in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,011, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. In addition to the prior art discussed there, U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,091 relates to a hemostatic circumcision bandage. The shaft supporting portion includes attachment portions to hold a resilient pad in place. The resilient pad is used to facilitate hemostasis.
These prior art disclosures share a common failing. The bandages there are all secured by placing ends or strap-like portions around the circumference of the penis in such a way that either too much pressure or too little pressure is applied. If too much pressure is applied as the straps are wrapped too tightly, the bandage causes discomfort, and may even adversely affect the healing process. Bandages that have been applied too tightly cause discomfort, can cut off proper blood flow to the body portions distal to the bandage, and in the case of penile bandages, have been reported to cut off urine flow so that there is urinary retention with potential for increased risk of infection and in severe cases, bladder rupture. If the straps are not wrapped tightly enough, the bandage will be loose and can easily fall off the penis, leaving the wounded area unprotected. A loose bandage can also result in unacceptable abrasion of the wound area and potentially causing the wound to reopen. The “loose” bandage is particularly problematic in the case of infant circumcision as substantial movement and abrasion could occur in the act of diapering the child.
The present invention solves this problem by making it extremely easy for the applier to apply precisely the right amount of pressure to create not only a secure bandage, but a bandage that will promote hemostatic healing. Furthermore, the bandage can be removed without any interference with the healing body part.